In this episode of Not So Small, host Sam Bauman interviews Dr. Michelle Haggerty, founder of Fourth Trimester Doc, a groundbreaking medical practice providing in-home care for new parents and their babies during the critical postpartum period.

Dr. Haggerty shares how her own experience as a new mother revealed the significant gaps in postpartum care, where she found herself "leaking from every orifice" yet expected to dress and travel to a clinic while her own needs were largely overlooked in favor of the baby's. This personal experience, combined with her frustration at the assembly-line nature of clinical practice, inspired her vision for a different approach: visiting families in their homes, where parents could remain comfortable while receiving comprehensive care for both themselves and their newborns.

As a family physician, Dr. Haggerty offers something unique in the field. While similar services exist elsewhere in the country (provided by pediatricians), her medical training allows her to care for both the baby and the birthing parent. Her practice features direct communication via text message, longer appointments that focus on both physical and mental health, and a relationship that feels more like "extended family" than traditional doctor-patient dynamics.

Dr. Haggerty discusses the challenges physicians face when attempting to start independent practices, noting they're actively discouraged from entrepreneurship during their training. Despite these obstacles, she created her business by taking it one day at a time, connecting with other small business owners, and participating in Goldman Sachs' 10KSB program, a mini-MBA specifically for her business.

Beyond her private practice, Dr. Haggerty has co-founded the Center for Fourth Trimester Care, a nonprofit focused on educating healthcare providers about postpartum care, teaching physicians how to start similar businesses, and advocating for improved fourth trimester support nationwide.

Her vision for the future includes expanding access to this model of care through insurance coverage and partnerships with larger businesses that could offer her services as part of their benefits packages. Throughout the conversation, Dr. Haggerty emphasizes how her current work brings her joy and energy, unlike her previous clinical experience that left her feeling burned out and drained.

Guest Info

• Business: Fourth Trimester Doc
• Guest: Dr. Michelle Haggerty (she/her)
• Links: Website • Instagram

Community Shoutout(s)

• Mother Moon Acupuncture (Website • Instagram)

Other Links

• Center for Fourth Trimester Care (Website)
• Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses (Website)

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Host & Show Info

• Host Name: Sam Bauman (she/her)
• About the Host: Sam is the President of Mellowlark Labs, a Twin Cities-based small business consulting agency. She has a masters degree in counseling psychology, a field she worked in for several years before applying her skills in business, and is certified in Organization Development.

Podcast Website

Sound Editing By: Adam Rondeau
Podcast Art By: Andy Bauman (website)